Page 20

twenty

Cemetaries & Bullshit

Dario

Two weeks later…

Christmas and New Years came and went in the blink of an eye. We never celebrated to begin with, so completely forgetting it was even missed, didn’t faze us in the least. Marsela is still walking around having an identity crisis thinking she’s Jade, and I’ve had about enough of it.

Spade never let me know he was hosting Casino night at the Den and somehow Marsela ended up there, dressed like Jade, which only sent Spade in a downward spiral. He’s refusing to answer my calls nor the door when I show up at Jade’s randomly.

He’s completely shut me out which furthermore pisses me off. I’d never send her there like that to fuck with him, and if that’s what he’s thinking, he needs to grow a pair and confront me. That is not something to joke about. I know my track record is shit, and he has no reason to believe me, but I expected more out of him. I’m not some stranger from the Academy or an acquaintance from the street, I'm his goddamn brother in my eyes. I’d never do anything to hurt him. That’s not the type of person I am.

Thankfully, Ryder has been with him and is updating me regularly on what’s going on. If it wasn’t for Jade’s brother, I’d never know what is going on. Everything is spiraling out of control.

Our guy on the inside, who was supposed to be watching Jameson, was caught red-handed and Dalton had his men beat him half to death in the hospital parking lot. Now we have nothing on Jameson and that alone scares the fuck out of me.

I met with Gio to come up with a plan to get me out of this contract but it’s so fucking air tight that I’m almost positive I fucked myself with this. There really isn’t any way to get out of it, which has me all the way fucked up. It doesn’t help that the little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me Jade is alive when every corner I turn, points to her death.

Sitting in the office at The Mill, trying to organize a fight night, the computer pings with an email. Looking up at the screen, I see it’s encrypted which means this is classified information that is safe from anyone trying to hack into our systems.

Opening it, I see an attachment at the bottom. Clicking on it, a video pops up, and it automatically starts playing. Pressing the full screen button, a hospital hallway greets my eyes.

As I watch, I notice Jade being wheeled into a room with doctors and nurses in toe. I slowly increase the speed of the video and stop when Slim and Spade come into view. It’s annoying there’s no sound, and the way they are positioned I can’t read their lips. Spade walks away after a minute or two as Slim holds an ice pack to his head looking left and right before entering Jade’s room.

Speeding up the footage, a few minutes later he steps out and walks down the hallway, then someone else dressed in a lab coat-that looks oddly familiar-enters her room, but the video is grainy so I can’t get a clear visual of who it is exactly. I continue to watch, increasing the speed as the guy leaves and Slim comes back only to leave again, except now he’s on the phone.

The video scrambles for a few seconds, then Slim is speaking with Spade again. I slow it down and watch it. Seeing my brother damn near break down hurts to the core. He looks so angry and broken. I’ve missed so much and I can only blame myself. Spade isn’t an angry person. He’s very different from the rest of us, more guarded and uses his jokes and playfulness to mask the sadness he holds, but seeing this really solidifies how much I truly fucked everything up.

The video ends as Slim watches Spade walk away and then it goes black. I’m not sure what any of it means but something still doesn’t add up. We have no proof she even left the hospital, or that room. I need fucking answers and I’m getting sick of waiting for them. It’s time to go to the source. Taking my phone out, I pull up Slim's name and shoot him a text.

Me: We need to meet. When are you available?

Slim: Tomorrow afternoon work for you?

Me: Yes, meet me at The Mill-2 p.m.

Slim: Okay.

Placing my phone in my pocket, I shut off the computer and grab my keys to head out. Marsela has something she wants to talk to me about over dinner so it’s back to fucking hell I go.

Sitting at the dinner table across from the Jade-wannabe makes me want to throw up as I push the food around the plate, refusing to look at her. She makes me truly sick to my stomach. She clears her throat and I look up at her as she gets up with a bright smile littering her ugly face.

Rounding the table, she places a picture down in front of me. “I’m pregnant, Dario. With twins.” She coos and I cough, nearly choking on fucking air as I push my chair from the table and standing, picking up the sonogram and studying it. Sure enough, it’s real, and it looks like two little peas inside the black and white photo. I think I’m going to be sick.

“Aren’t you excited? We can finally have the family you always wanted, Daddy,” She says with excitement laced in her tone.

“Excited? Not in the least.” I spit and she huffs.

“I’ve done everything you wanted, why can’t you give me this moment?” She pleads, rubbing her flat stomach.

“I didn’t ask you to do anything, Marsela–” I say but she interrupts.

“Remember what I said, Marsela is dead when we are together, call me Jade.” She says seductively, running her nails up my chest. I slap her hand away, wrapping my hand around her throat, squeezing tightly.

“You will never be her. Not now, not ever. You can only wish to be half the woman she is. Look at you. You’re fucking disgusting and I can’t stand the sight of you.” I spit, tightening my grip as her eyes widen in fear.

“Get your fucking shit together, Marsela. I need a fucking minute.” I growl, squeezing tighter as a warning that I’m deadly serious. She nods her head and I release her. She stumbles back as I leave the room, grabbing my keys and slamming the front door as I go.

Getting into my suburban, I grab a joint from the center console and light it up, taking a deep pull as I leave the castle and head to the cemetery.She’s fucking pregnant, with twins? What the fuck? What the fuck?

Taking another drag as I drive down the dimly lit road, I’m fucking kicking myself in the ass for everything. I should’ve never left Jade’s side. I should’ve fought for her. “Fuck!” I scream into the car, banging my fists against the steering wheel. This isn’t the life I wanted. I don’t want this. I feel like I’m suffocating with no air in sight.

It doesn’t take long to get to the cemetery. I park, finish the joint, and grab the hoodie from the back seat. Before exiting the car, I take my phone out and go to my photos, scrolling down I find what I’m looking for. A picture of Jade sitting on my lap in the living room of her house as I whispered sweet nothings into her ear. Her chest is flushed, cheeks are rosy and lust fills her gorgeous eyes. God, I fucking miss her. Closing the app, I scroll to the messages and send Spade a text.

Me: I need you brother.

Sliding the phone into the pocket of my hoodie, I climb out of the truck and walk through the dead leaves to Amelia’s grave. Sitting down on the wet grass, I lean against the cold stone and lay my head back as tears fall from my eyes.

“How did everything get so complicated Lia? One minute you were here, the next you’re gone.” I say into the night.

“So much has happened over the last year and I feel like I’m drowning. Spade is spiraling, Jameson is stuck under Dalton’s clutches and Jade’s gone. What the fuck do I do Lia? Please tell me what to do because, the way I see it right now, I have nothing to live for anymore. Death looks better than life itself, and just a few months ago I would’ve never said that.” I plead, praying for an answer that will never come.

“This cunt is pregnant with my babies. Twins. I don’t want them. I don’t want her. I don’t want to live anymore if this is how it’s going to be. I can't, I won't make it. I’ll never be the father those kids will need me to be. Not with that horrible woman by my side. I’ll end up being just like my father, and that's the last person I want to be.” I admit as the tears continue to stream down my face. Wiping them away, I take a deep breath, trying to settle my rapidly beating heart.

“It was never supposed to be like this. Never. Even if we never met Jade, and stayed under the grasp of The Aces, at least we would’ve had purpose and each other. This aint it, Lia. I can’t. I want out before I take my own life. I feel it coming everyday. The more I’m stuck in this contract, the more death calls to me.” I confess as the wind picks up whirling around me. My phone pings distracting me for a moment. Taking it out I see it’s Spade.

Opening the thread I read the message.

Spade: I need you too, Brother. Come to Jades.

Me: Be there in twenty.

Putting the phone back in my pocket, I stand up and take a deep breath.

“Thanks for listening, Lia. I miss you and I hope you guide me in the right direction. I’ll be back soon.” I promise, kissing my two fingers and laying them against her headstone.

Walking away, I see something shining in the distance and I walk over to see what the hell it is. As I get closer, the name becomes clearer, JOHN RIVERS. This is where Jade’s dad is buried. Right next to his headstone is a shimmering silver canister.

Bending down I pick it up, looking closer I see, FALLON RIVERS engraved on the metal. I swallow roughly as I stare at the jar with her birthdate and day of death engraved next to one another. My heart squeezes in my chest as tears drip down my face again. Placing the jar back where I found it, I take a step back refusing to say a word. She’s not in there. Notuntil I have proof. I spin and head for my car.

There has to be a better way, and if not. I’ll take Jade’s pistol and do the job myself.